Church Heritage Record 624225

Although the early history of the church is lost in obscurity and the date of the birth of the original church is unknown, the first recorded evidence of a church in Blackrod is in the Manchester Calendar which says a church existed in 1138. This may have been in the form of a chantry as there is a local footpath close by named Chantry Brow. Little is known of the church during the 14th and 15th centuries; however, Henry VIII’s agents carefully noted its emoluments. In 1548 the chantry in Blackrod was suppressed and the chantry lands sold for £4 4s 1½ d.

During the reign of Elizabeth I a church was built in Blackrod by Thomas Houghton and Edward Norris Esquires, joint Lords of the Manors. Part of the Elizabethan church still stands and the lower part of the present tower shows a date-stone of 1638. The Poor Box, fixed to the wall near the Tower Room, is believed to be from this time. Very little remains of the 16th and 17th century church apart from the base of the tower. In the churchyard, many of the headstones have been removed or laid flat and grassed over – the earliest was dated 1671. The font from the Elizabethan church has been repaired and now stands in the vicarage garden.

The church was rebuilt and enlarged in 1766 leaving the church in so much debt that in 1769 an auction of pews was held to reduce the debt. When the nave was rebuilt in 1911 the doors from these box pews, complete with their nameplates were placed under the tower to form panelling. Permission was granted to add North and South galleries in the church which provided 179 additional seats. The tower was raised in 1837 to celebrate the accession of Queen Victoria and a turret clock added.In 1869, 780 sq. yds. of land adjoining the churchyard was given to the church by the Marquess de Rothwell, Richard Rainshaw Rothwell of Sharples Hall, Bolton-le-Moors as additional burial ground. The churchyard was closed for burials in 1881, excepting family graves and vaults.

In 1903 permission was granted to pull down the whole of the parish church, with the exception of the tower and to rebuild on the same site with the addition of a new chancel, organ chamber and vestries. In 1904 land was purchased adjoining the churchyard to extend the churchyard and the new chancel, organ chamber and vestries were to be built on this additional churchyard. The chancel was built in 1905 and extended over part of the graveyard and the nave was built in 1911 at a cost of £5,000. The architect’s plans are still in existence and state the use of ‘pink stone from Darley Dale, Matlockshire,’ for much of the stone. In 1932, electric lighting was installed, and the clock on the church tower was replace by an illuminated clock after the two World Wars. The Baptistry was re-furnished in 1982 and in December 1984 some fine flower stands were donated. A new stained-glass window was added in July 1992 with the theme of, ‘Christ the carpenter.’ In 1993 a fire caused extensive damage to the Parish Hall and the PCC took the difficult decision to dispose of it. The re-ordering at the end of the 20th century included plans for a closed area at the back and side of church to provide a lower meeting room, office, kitchen, entrance hall and toilets. Stairs would lead to an upper room to be used by youth groups etc.

The clock has 3 faces and on the north wall was a bracket for a beacon; this was in a line of beacons from Ashurst Beacon to Rivington Pike and used on special occasions such as the Queen’s Jubilee in 2006. On the North Wall near the back steps is a stone with the inscription, ‘Buried in this churchyard is 171488 Private J. Hodkinson, Machine Gun Corps (Inf.) 27th May 1920 age 37.’ A Commonwealth War Grave sign has recently been attached to the gate outside the East Wall. Steps up to the door of the Tower are from the original tower. Inside stone and concrete steps lead to the Ringing Room. From there a system of ladders lead to the bell room and top of the tower. Porch and Entrance are below two stone angels, thought to be originals, and a wheel on which the letters S.K. are carved. The church is dedicated to St Katharine of Alexandria. The Nativity Window is best seen from the upper room and was installed in 1980 in memory of sisters Beatrice and Ellen Gobin.

Font - the wooden lid was given in 1926 in memory of Thomas Bentham. The mother of pearl shell, still used in baptisms today was given by the teachers and Sunday School in 1956.

The Annunciation window was donated by William Hope in 1949 in memory of his wife Alvena Hope.

The Tablets either side of the window containing the Ten Commandments, the Creed and the Lord’s Prayer are from the 1776 church and are Italian Blue Marble dating from 1750.

The Holy Family window was given by the parishioners in memory of Luther Bullough, a Reader at St Katharine’s who died in 1964.

The next window depicts ‘Christ the Carpenter,’ and was given in memory of the Walkden sisters who gave a legacy which enabled the church to be completely re-roofed in 1991.

War memorial plaques - A marble plaque, erected in 1920, with 41 names of men who fell in the 1914-1918 war and an oak plaque, erected in 1947, with the names of 19 men who fell in 1939-1945 war. Memorial stones. Along the south wall are memorial stones for Richard James Entwistle and his wife, Isabella, of Holmes House, Blundell Lane, who died in 1860 and 1872 respectively.

Under the tower is the oldest part of the church and the lowest part of the tower and floor, currently used as a choir vestry, are part of the Elizabethan church. The window has a date of 1638 with the initial N.T. on the outside wall, the glass in the window is original. Clock workings: To the left of the window is the weight case of the clock which was installed in 1837 when the tower was raised to celebrate the accession of Queen Victoria.

The Bells: There are 6, cast in 1786 and hung in St. Katharine's in 1791. The bells were rehung in 1922 and major repairs took place in August 2015 at a cost of £40,000. The ringing room also had a make-over at this time.

Tapestries - both of the Last Supper. One was created in 1904 by Hannah Smith (age 14) in memory of her parents and the other is by Anne Sellars.

A list of vicars from 1349 to the present day

Popplewell Charity - In 1820, £1,000 was invested by John Popplewell of Woodford, Essex, to yield £110 for the vicar to distribute to repair the family tomb of Thomas Aynscough – his uncle. The charity money was to be distributed on December 10th each year – still called “Dow Day” or Endowment Day. £2 was to be given to the Vicar for a sermon, £1 to the clerk, £1 to the ringers, £1 to singers; £42 to the poor who are most regular in their worship, £12 to grammar school children, and bread and blankets were to be purchased. John’s sisters – Ann and Rebecca Popplewell – later increased the amount by £2,160. The Popplewell money is still given annually to children from the church schools in Blackrod with the highest attendance record.

Brass collecting pans - two have the date 1809 and two,1836. They were donated by John Chisenhale of Arley Hall, a famous Lancashire family.

Pew ends. The walls are lined with the box pew doors of the 1766 church which were auctioned to raise money towards the cost of the restoration of the Elizabethan church. Some of the names and name-plates are still legible.

Chisenhale Hatchment. Dominating a wall in the tower room is a lozenge-shaped hatchment of John Chisenhale Chisenhale, born 1789 and died 1847. He was responsible for much of the re-building of Arley Hall and inherited the family estate.

In the Nave

Not very high up the wall of the tower is the outline of the Elizabethan church and it seems likely that the floor was raised when the 1766 church was built. The stained-glass window Let the Children Come to Me was designed and made by Linda Walton and installed in 1992 by Mrs J Hicks of Anderton in memory of her family. The Tablets and the memorial plaques along this wall commemorate:

John Smethurst, an engineer, who died in 1877 and his son John, given by workers at Garswood Hall Collieries, Bryn, in 1900.

Revd Ralph Calvert William Croft, vicar from 1877-1900

William Harrison, Headmaster of the Parish School for 31 years, who died in 1918 and lived in Bobbin Hall.

Parable of the Sower – installed in December 2009 depicts various views of Blackrod and also shows the work done by members of the Women’s Land Army. It was dedicated to the women who worked on the land in Blackrod during the Second World War and is a memorial to Edna Wilson by her husband, Jimmy: they met at Arley where she worked during the war.

St Katharine window. Next to the pulpit is a stained-glass window in memory of William Harrison’s son, Dr Harold Ainsworth Harrison, 1897- 1982. The window depicts St Katharine and the philosophers and was given by the family.

The Pulpit was installed when the new Chancel was built in 1905. The words carved into the sides read, ‘We preach Christ crucified.’ The steps of the 1766 pulpit were incorporated into the staircase of Bobbin Hall, a weaver’s house in the village originally built in the 1780s. The Lectern to the right of the altar is a memorial to Revd. Ralph Croft, vicar from 1912-1929 The Crucifix on the wall above the lectern was given in memory of Pte. Charles Walsh who died in 1944 aged 30 years. Vestry The former choir vestry is now a storeroom.

The Chancel

The main altar oak panelling and reredos were installed in memory of Revd. Robert Whittaker Gordon, vicar from 1912 – 1929. It has six painted panels at the front and was installed in 1930. The panels depict:

St Alban – soldier and second century saint

St Elizabeth of Hungary who cared for the sick and the poor

The Virgin Mary

St John, the Apostle

St Katharine, with wheel and martyr’s crown

St Cuthbert, English Bishop

The Organ was built by Wills of Liverpool and donated by Dr H A Harrison in memory of his parents, the headmaster and headmistress of the National School, built in 1845. The organ was rebuilt by Charles Smethurst of Manchester in 1970 and in 2009 underwent a further major overhaul. Choir Stalls contain two brass plates, one in memory of Jessie Higham and one to James Hampson J.P, both choristers. The Processional Cross and Candlesticks were given in memory of Owen David Pugh who died in a car crash, aged 14. The sanctuary lamp was given in 1967 in memory of Luther Bullough, long-time reader. The Aumbrey in the Lady Chapel was given by Thomas Ollerton in memory of his wife Ellen. Stained-glass windows - on the left of the chancel is of St Cecilia, patron saint of music, and was given in memory of Jessie Higham, 1917 -1975, by her sister Mrs Nancy Parr. The other window, Craftsman’s Art, is in memory of Ronnie Grimshaw, server, choir member and Sunday School teacher, 1931-1997. The window shows choir boys and girls and musicians with the words, ‘Craftsman’s art and music’s measure, for thy pleasure all combine.’

The Lady Chapel

The Altar was given in 1949 in memory of Revd Canon David Humphrey Pugh, vicar from 1929-1947. The architect was Herbert Rhodes and the ‘Medici’ prints are:

St Michael

The Madonna adoring the Christ Child

Raphael and Tobias

The candlesticks were given in memory of Gertrude Speak by her family. On the left is the door to the Vicar’s Vestry: a memorial tablet to Revd Francis Swallow, Vicar from 1861-1877; one to Revd Peter William Browns, Vicar from 1846-1991; and one to Revd John Chisenhale and family of Arley Hall who died in 1782. Maggie Banks Window given by her daughter, Shirley Rowlandson. Preston Window on the south wall are two small windows in memory of Edith and Abraham Preston and given by their daughter. The East Window is the oldest of the windows and was installed in May1914 as a memorial to Revd George Worsley Coleman, vicar from 1900 to when he died in 1912. The window design is based on the painting of the crucifixion by Perugino and depicts the Virgin Mary and St John at the foot of the Cross. Translation of the words underneath is ‘Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.’ The window was designed and made by Mary Lowndes who was a leading light in the suffragette movement and includes a backdrop of Rivington and the reservoirs.